Improvement in combs



CHARLES-L. ROBERTSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

Letters Patent No. 88,811, camz April 13, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES L. ROBERTSON, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Combs; and I do hereby declare that .the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings making a part of the same, is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The purpose of my invention is to produce a comb by the employment of a combination of materials and processes not before used for the purpose, whereby a new manufacture is made to result.

I first make what I call a foundation for a comb, (Figure l,) the greater proportion of which shall be compos-d of paper or paper-stock.

By means of suitable cutting-machinery, the character of which any competent mechanic will `understand, an article in the general form of a comb may be cut from thick paper, pasteboard, card-board, or from any of the manufactures from paper-pulp. Two or more of the thicknesses so obtained may be glued together by any suitable adhesive compound, and,

preierred,thicknesses of muslin or other cloth, cnt also into the same general form, may be placed between such thicknesses of paper, or over the same, in order to stiifen the foundation,

The foundation so prepared maythen be subjected to pressure between dies, to complete its outline or 'ornamental coniguration, and to give to it the entire form of a comb.

Instead of making the foundation from the manufactured products referred to, it can be moulded from paper-pulp, and after being dried, subsequently stiffvened bythe application of cloth-layers, or not, as de- I sired.

The manner 0f producing, moulding, or shaping the foundation is not essential, as various mechanical processes can be employedfor this end. It is suflicient t0 enable the article hereinafter claimed as new to be produced by the next-described process, if essentially a paper or paper-stock comb is employed for a foundation. 4

The .next thing necessary to be done to complete the manufacture, is to coat the whole exterior surface -of the foundation with a'japanning or enamelling composition, of the character described in the Letters Patent granted to me, April 2,1867, and develop the same by the application of heat, as many separate .coatings being applied as shall be necessary to produce a smooth and lustrous finish.

For the manner of preparing and developing such enamelling composition, reference may be had to the description contained in the before-mentioned Letters Patent; but I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the use of a composition of the same elements in the same proportions as described in said patent, but any other japanning composition, of the same general character, possessing like qualities, and capable, upon the application of heat, to develop lustre, may be employed.

The result of the processes before described, is a comb (Figure 2) which, although it has for its base, or foundation a material of short staple, which alone would be unsuitable for such article, when enamelcoated as described, will possess the qualities of toughness, flexibility, and elasticity, in as great a; degree as combs made from rubber, horn, or shell. In point of beauty it will also rival these, while, in addition, it possesses the advantage of greatlightness, and can be manufactured at an inconsideiable cost.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,.as a new article of manufacture, is-

A comb, made byapplying and developing a japanning or enamelling composition upon a foundation made principally' vfrom paper or paper-stock, the whole article being substantially as specified.

Witnesses: CHARLES L. ROBERTSON.v

ORvlLLn PEOKHAM, C. S. FRANCIS. 

